Firstly, thanks to all the cyclists and concerned residents that showed up to the meeting despite the threat of showers. Â There was a good number of people there for an event that wasn’t too widely publicized. Thanks again to Sumi and Iteris for organizing the meeting. Â Thanks to Tony Cruz for showing up and lending some star power to the cause.
Meeting Recap:
-Presentation by the City and Iterus showing different bike facilities (class 1, 2, 3), explanation and examples of Bicycle Boulevard.
-Talk of proposed (?) or projects underway (parallel cement path on beach for pedestrians only, bike bridge on river trail?)
-Open discussion session.
Meeting Highlights:
-Lengthy discussion of safety on LA and San Gabriel river trail, questions about attacks (real or imagined?), who polices it? Â what can be done to have more patrolling? Â are there statistics?
-Discussion of changes on 2nd Street to create special motorcycle only parking spaces!?  What about accommodating bikes for once!!!
-Plea for cyclists to be involved in a real and meaningful way in bicycle planning and implementation in the city. Â No more black box!
-Tony Cruz discusses creating network of bike boulevards or lanes that connect two river trails, possibility of a more complete grid.
-Discussion of bike detection at intersection. Â Resident expresses frustration that after 8 years of drafting the BMP (which discusses bicycle detection at intersections), that there are many streets that STILL do not recognize cyclists.Â
-Resident also notes that when the Grand Prix is in town, it cuts normal routes for pedestrians and bicyclists. Â Once again, basic rights to the road of non-motorized vehicles are sacrificed without questioning.
Summary:
The community at large was once again invited to share their input regarding bicycles to the city.  A great number of the familiar talking points were discussed: safety of river trails, bike boulevards, complete grid in the city, bicycle detection at intersections, questions of BMP implementation. Â
This is my opinion and may not reflect that of LBCyclists as a whole…
It became more and more apparent that what is preventing Long Beach from “being the most bicycle-friendly city in the US,” isn’t so much a lack of ideas but a lack of accountability and follow-up from the city in implementing ideas. The city must make cyclists a true meaningful partner in its infrastructure decisions and not just an occasional guest at brainstorming meetings.
Cyclists are the primary stakeholders in bicycle infrastructure and programs, so it only stands to reason that we should have a seat at the table. No one is going to ask a cyclist to design a complicated freeway system. But how is it we’re willing to let non-cyclists make decisions that affect our lives and safety as cyclists. We’re equal but vulnerable roadway users.
We are not just a “traffic problem”. We are people and should be afforded the basic rights and respect for safety that people deserve.